Leaving
by Yongo
Summary: The princess was left alone, with little light, sobbing. She then remembered what her nurse had said, she could almost hear her voice, telling her to "go!"
1. Prologue Chapter

Yongo

Leaving

Prologue

* * *

"Serenity, you must hurry." She looked around, "Quickly!" A woman was holding a young girl's hand while speeding through a magestic hallway and turned a corner. They were out of breath when they reached a dark room and bolted the door behind them.

"Nurse? Nurse what's going on? What's happening." The young girl was frightened and confused, her small hands clenching at her white night gown. The blue haired lady looked at the girl and longing to give her comfort, tried to smile.

"Oh, Serenity," she stroked the blonde's hair, and did not say anymore. She then grabbed the girl's hand. "Alright, we must move on." She surveyed the room, and walked towards the farthest wall which had a portrait of a platinum haired woman and a blonde haired man; The Queen Serenity and her king. The young girl looked up at the portrait, her eyes welled up.

"Nurse, where's mother?"

The nurse was not paying attention; she was mumbling something and feeling the wall. "It has to be... oh no, what about... still nothing... hmm." The older woman walked alongside the wall, feeling her way for something she knew was there. She reached the corner and motioned the girl to come. "Now Serena dear," she again fussed with the blonde's hair, "stand here."

The blonde nodded and watched her nurse do something she had never seen her do. The nurse tapped one of the bricks and placed her ear against the wall, she tapped again. She stood in the corner, rubbed her hands together excited and kicked the corner line. She kept kicking it, but not in anger Serenity noticed, more like a ritual. The nurse sighed and told Serenity to stand back. Less than a second later the wall was pushed inside and the corner opened!  
"Serenity, dear, come. We must not waste time!" The girl hurried to the nurse. The nurse gently pushed her inside.

Serenity turned around, shock registering on her face. "Nurse?"  
The blue haired nurse's eyes were watery and saddened with the knowledge that Serenity couldn't understand. With a shaky but authoritative tone said, "What do you think you are doing! Go and don't look back! Do not stop walking until you see a palace guard, do you understand?" She did not wait for the girl to answer. "I'm closing this now alright? Just keep walking straight, do not stop." Her nurse looked at her.

Still confused and now afraid, Serenity replied, "Aren't you coming with me?"

The nurse rushed to where Serenity was, and squeezed her with urgency, "Don't stop walking, alright dear."

Serenity had never seen her nurse like this before. She was always laughing, or quiet, keeping to herself and always keeping herself composed in the most frustrating times. She only referred to her as "dear" to reassure her when things were going wrong, and the more she said it showed how serious the situation was. The person who was never upset or seriously cross with anyone, was hugging and squeezing her...crying. Serenity squeezed back.

The blue haired woman took a step back, then turned around. Serenity did not realize what her nurse was doing, but she realized that her nurse had just pulled on something and the wall was reforming itself. "Nurse! No nurse, come back! Ami-san!" The nurse was looking back, tears streaming down her face.

"Serena, go!"

Serena began walking towards the closing wall. "Nurse! A-Ami-san! No! No! Don't leave me here. Ami-san! Ami-chan!" The wall reformed. The princess was left alone, with little light, sobbing. She then remembered what her nurse had said, she could almost hear her voice, telling her to "go!"

The scared girl turned around, gathered her wits and courage, and began walking briskly.


	2. Chapter 2

Yongo

Leaving

Chapter 2

* * *

--

The young blonde girl sat down on rock, she was tired. How long had she been walking for? An hour? Maybe two? She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. A picture of her nurse popped into her head and the little girl's memory returned to her witnessing her nurse, her guardian, her friend with tears streaming down her face. The last thing she remembered hearing after the wall closed was a faint 'shine aqua illusion.' The girl opened her eyes and paused. She looked around and was reminded of the predicament she was in. "What's going on?" She whispered to herself.

The tunnel like cave was of normal temperature and yet she was shaking. She clutched her knees and felt the silk fabric of her night gown. She let go of her knees and spread out her feet, upon looking at the bottom of her night gown, she gasped. It was a mess, it seemed as though every piece of dirt had found a permanent home on the bottom her gown. 'What would mother think if she saw me like this?' She surprised herself with a chuckle then pasued again her memory returning to her last moments with her nurse. She sat back and took another deep breath, she knew she needed to remain calm. But how could she when she had just witnessed, for the first time in her young life, the calmest, most logical woman... crying?

Serenity felt her body win. She slumped over, elbows on her knees, hands holding her delicate young face and began to sob.

--

She opened her eyes. The young princess had somehow dozed off. Her eyes didn't take too long to adjust to the lighting as there wasn't too much to get adjusted to. She looked puzzled then alarmed. She sat up, and looked around. No one was around to welcome her out of her slumber with a smile, her body was aching, and she was in a cave. She surveyed the tunnel like cave she was in and noticed a few things. Serenity touched one of the walls, then slide her hand over the wall and looked at her hand. It didn't feel like earth, more like stone. She looked at the debris in her hand, it was dust rather than the earth she was expecting. She looked around some more and her eyes fell on the rock she was sitting on. Upon looking closer, it wasn't a rock it all or rather, it looked like it was carved and placed there.

'I should keep moving," she thought to herself as the urgency of the situation she was in hit her once more. She picked up a bit of her night gown, so as to not let it touch the ground, and began walking once again. Aside from her own foot steps it was quiet, she could even hear herself breath.

Getting antsy she picked up her pace. 'Where did this lead to?' she wondered. Just then she heard something. She stopped walking. It was a faint _clank_ sound. The princess gasped, _clank_ she heard it again. _Clank_ the sound was slowly getting more audible. _Clank_. Serenity gasped then quickly cupped her hand over her mouth letting go of the nightgown fabric in her hands. _Clank clank_. It was the sound of metal on metal. _Clank clank. _The sound had gotten significantly higher and had a steady pattern to it, like walking. _Clank clank clank. _She took a a few steps back and tripped on the fabric causing her to fall backwards. In her fall she tried clutching the wall for support but instead let out a whimper mid fall. _Clank- _the sound stopped. Tears welled up, she was frozen on the stop. The sound maker had surely heared her whimper. She listened for the clanks but didn't hear them anymore. She knew the source had heard her, she tried to get up and run in the other direction but she was still frozen with fear. _Clank clank clank clank clank clank. _ Serenity panicked and the tears leaked out of her eyes, she could no longer hear the clanks but heard running footsteps. The princess closed her eyes tightly as they were almost upon her, she didnt dare open her eyes to see what was coming her way. They were getting louder and closer, closer and louder, suddenly, "Princess? Princess!"

Serenity opened her eyes and was staring at the armor of Jupiter, her sword unsheathed. The young girl fainted.

--

When the princess came to, she was on someone's back. She woke up but dared not move, still unsure of what was happening. The source of her transportation's pace quickened causing something to tickle her face. Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw the source of the tickle. The remnants of a long magnificent brown pony tail was what the young girl saw. She then smelled something sweet, she knew a place with this very scent, a scent that was too familiar to forget. The person she most associated with this scent did have the same hair even though this person had much longer hair than the one she was thinking of, it _had _to be the same person. The hair began to tickle her nose. In the ever quickening pace of her carrier, Serenity was able to slowly blow the hair away from her nose, she did not want to risk sneezing.

Serenity fully opened her eyes and wished she hadn't because the sight that greeted her was unlike anything she would've expected. The walls, the curtains, the windows, everywhere she looked had deep red stains on them. Why was there so much blood? Her eyes finally fell on the ground and she gasped. Her carrier slowed her pace. The princess could not believe what she saw. Blood stained bodies lay everywhere, etching themselves into her mind. The kind people of Mercury lay slain on the ground of the palace hall, some were slashed beyond recognition. Her young eyes watered, she had never in all her life witnessed death. No one she ever knew had died and so for her first encounter of death to be this? She couldn't control herself, the sight was beyond disturbing. Her body writhed, loosened her hold on her carrier, and in a quick jerk-like movement she threw up on the side getting a bit of her regurgitated dinner on her carriers sword which was back in its sheath.

The young princess's carrier stopped, the princess had fallen. A corpse had cushioned Serenity's fall adn once she noticed she jumped up and screamed, her knees were weak and buckled causing the young princess fell again. With her palms to the ground, and fear in her eyes, she pushed herself away from the corpse. Her eyes widened when she realized she recognized the body. Serenity's eyes rolled back into her head, and she fainted again.

--

In a dreamlike state of consciousness Serenity heard voices. they were garbled at first, but as she came to, she could slowly make sense of them.

"Is this her?" One voice said.

"Yes, of course it is." The voice paused, "one never forgets the face of a moon royal." There was a brief silence, "besides, who else would be wearing such a moon garment, regardless of the filthy state it's in?" This voice sounded like the one from the cave. Both these voices belonged to women.

Serenity felt a hand cup her nightgown, "this is blood," the first voice stated. "Was she hurt?"

"We haven't examined her yet, but when she awoke from my back, she fell amongst the corpses in one of Mercury's Palace halls. It's most likely from there."

"You said she fainted when you found her and again before bringing her here?" The woman let go of Serenity's silk gown, "what's wrong with her?" The woman sounded disgusted rather than concerned. Serenity flinched, but they did not see this.

"Hino, she is a child. The day is almost winding down," her voice took on an affectionate tone, "she probably has not eaten since last night, and I remember her having an amazing appetite." She chuckled, "she loved my cooking you know? What a blessing it was to meet this child."

"Child or not Makoto," with a sense of urgency the one called Hino said, "she is a _princess_. Not just any princess either, the moon's one and only princess. She should not _be_ this weak." Her voice trailed off, "people are dying..."

It seemed as though one of the figures had moved, Serenity heard a _clank clank_ and what was most likely an embrace because she heard someone patting another's back.

The voice Serenity had come to know as Makoto spoke, "Hino--" she paused and said softly, "Rei... Mizuno did her duty as a protector, and is fighting for her planet."

"But Mercury has already fallen!" It sounded as though Rei had pushed away her confidant. "_It's fallen_! Her people have fled and left their Queen to bare the burden of holding back the--"

"Hino!" Makoto interrupted, "don't you dare defile the Blue Planets' Queen by _insinuating _her people left her willingly. Masses stayed to fight with their queen and her forces. We had to _forcefully _take people out of there because they were begging to fight side by side with their queen, or don't you remember that?" She was undoubtly upset with the other woman and began pacing back and forth. "Hino, some hid! They hid! They hid so they could stay and fight!" She stopped pacing. "Do you know what I saw?" She said the following in disbelief reminiscing, "I saw people too old and too young to do _anything_, separating from their families, hiding in-" She paused, " in Mercury's waste bins, in her forests with her untamed beasts," she chuckled, "and under their own beds..."

To Serenity who still had her eyes closed, it sounded as though Makoto had sat down. The woman let out a sigh. "Besides, keep hope alive. We still don't know if Mercury's queen herself has fallen. She may still be alive tending to her injured people... somewhere." From the other side of the room it sounded as though the other voice let out a scoff. Makoto sighed again. The room was quiet.

"You're probably right," The Hino woman spoke up, "If she was able to reach the princess in time, knowing her, she's probably elsewhere safe as well. While you were on the blue planet, I heard that Tomoe and her forces would be traveling there to see if anything was salvageable."

Makoto took a deep breath and let it out. "I don't think there's a use to that." Her voice sounded muffled, she must've been talking with her hands cupped around her face, "That planet is gone. Lifeless. Nothing to salvage. Whatever life was there is now, surely gone." In a clearer voice she said, "Remember the time we all spent fifth season there? How we slept under the stars and woke up to the suns bright rays?" She chuckled, "I got lost in the woods right by the palace. I was so scared; the woods were so dark, trees taller than I've ever seen, some of the prettiest too. I didn't think you all would find me, it was so big. Now I doubt that wood still exists," it sounded like she got up, "I can't see how the sun's rays will continue to shine on that planet; the stars are surely weeping at the sight of the once glorious grounds..." Her voice trailed off.

This time the other woman comforted her. "Mako, don't think about it. When this is all over--" she stopped and said in a whisper ever so faint, Serenity had to strain to hear it, "... _when this is all over..." _was all she said full of thought. The room had a different feel to it. The young princess could feel the heavy somberness that now filled the room.

Hino sighed, her footsteps grew closer to where Serenity lay, "we should get her out of these clothes, no princess of the moon should ever be seen looking so foul." Serenity's body stiffened.

"No, wait," Makoto stopped her, "let her be, she's been through an ordeal and seen things no one, let alone at her age, should ever see. Let her be."

"No," The other woman was frustrated. She was not going to let this one go. She thought for a while, "like you said, she probably has not eaten, she should eat before she faints for the seventh time." This was a joke.

Makoto laughed, "You're probably right. I doubt Ami fed her much, while she was on Mercury. Ami always was such a particular eater even with my..." Makoto continued to speak but Serenity could hear, she was lost in thought. 'Ami? They know Nurse Ami?' Serenity's mind went flashed back: _The nurse rushed to where Serenity was, and squeezed her with urgency, "Don't stop walking, just keep going straight, alright dear?" Serenity had never seen her nurse like this before. She was always laughing, or quiet, keeping to herself and always keeping herself composed in the most frustrating times. She only reffered to her as "dear" to reassure Serena when things were going wrong, and the more she said it showed how serious the situation was. The person who was never upset or seriously cross with anyone, was hugging and squeezing her...crying. Serenity squeezed back. _Tears began trickling out of her eyes, falling to the side.

"Mako. Mako! Come see this, " she yelled out to her companion. "What's wrong with her?"

--

On a satin bed, Serenity's head was resting on a woman with long brown pony-tailed hair, while another woman wearing a regal red attire was pacing the room casting a glance every so often at the scene on the bed. Serenity was still sobbing and was unaware she was muttering the words, "don't go, don't leave me," and "Ami-san" over and over. Makoto, rocking her back and forth was offering comforting "shh" noises trying to calm the young girl on her lap.

Makoto kept rocking the child but stopped the shushing to speak to the other woman. "Hino," she said, "would you please bring a meal for the princess?" Hino, glad to be of use, jumped at the chance to do something, with a nod in Makoto's direction, she left the room, long raven hair flowing behind her. Time passed and Makoto was still comforting the weeping girl whose sobs had now stopped. She began stroking her hair, "Are you all right princess?"

Serenity got up from the woman's lap and wiped the tears of her face, and looked at her comforter. She squinted. This woman looked incredibly familiar!

"Ohh, I see you remember me then?" She was smiling.

"M-Mako-chan? Mako-chan!" The princess's eyes widened then they dashed to the woman's hair.

"Yes!" She chuckled and noticed the child's eyes, "my hair has grown since the last time I saw you. And look at you! You're a big girl now Serena." Her eyes began to tear, but she pushed the tears back. Serenity did not notice, she was happy she had found a friend. She remembered Mako-chan from the time she accompanied her mother to Jupiter, she also remembered crying upon having to leave the planet. It had some of the tastiest treats she had ever had, and not to mention one of the kindest and most playful cook she had ever seen. Looking at Mako-chan now filled her with pleasant memories. She had to tell her about Ami, maybe they might know about the room she last saw her in.

"Mako-chan," she began, "my nurse Ami-san, she took me to this room, it had a picture of mother and father." She got animated forgetting all the sorrow she had felt, "Then there was this wall, and it moved! Then it closed and... and Ami-san stayed behind." The young girl looked at her old acquaintances face, "Ami-san was crying. But she's ok right? When I was in the cave I heard her yell out something. I forgot what it was, it sounded like 'mine after illusion...' I don't know." Her stomach growled.

The woman laughed and gave the girl a hug, "you poor dear, you've been through so much." She was beaming at the child. Then she looked off and began thinking out loud to the princess, "so, 'mine after illusion?' It sounds like she was using her Shine Aqua Illusion." She paused for a bit, "If I remember correctly, Mizuno was a master of her craft." She was beaming, "there's hope yet! No one can withstand Aqua Illusion." She hugged Serenity again and this time added an extra squeeze and whispered, more to herself than to Serenity, "_everything's going to be all right_."

Makoto got up, "princess, we need to get you out of those clothes!" Serenity got off the bed as well and looked in a nearby mirror.

"Oh my!" She was startled at how roughed up she looked. Her gown was a mess and sure enough, it was blood stained as well. She knew she had to change right away, and looked at Makoto who was walking into a closet full of clothes which seemed to have a red and black theme. She noticed that Makoto was wearing the same colors as the last time she saw her, green. The colors of honorable Jupiter. She remembered her mother also had to wear such colors on her visit there. Her heart ached, she missed her mother.

Walking out of the closet, Makoto was clutching what looked like a tiny red dress, "here we go," she laughed, "I can't believe Hino still has her old clothes in here." She held it out in front of her, and laughed some more, "I remember the time she wore this skirt, of course with her long legs it was much too short for her but she wore it anyway. I think she knew that when she got it." She looked at Serenity who had a puzzled look on her face, she was probably thinking 'what is this woman talking about.' Makoto continued, "Hino loved showing off her legs, still does I'm sure." She walked the skirt over to Serenity adn sat on the bed, "here you go darling, this should be a nice dress for you, and it wont be too long either." Serenity tried it on, "perfect!" beamed Makoto.

A few moments later, Makoto heard footsteps and looked up, it was probably her raven haired friend coming back with food for the hungry princess. Sure enough, Rei Hino walked through the door. Makoto furrowed her eyebrows and asked while looking around her friend, "where's the food." She then looked at her face, tears were streaming down her smooth doll-like face. Makoto stood up, "Hino? What happened?"

Rei brought her palm to her face, "It's Ami, " her voice broke, "Tomoe found her body."

-

* * *

-

Let me know if I should continue with this story.

Thanks!

Yongo

Leaving

Chapter 2


End file.
